The American Eagle brand is basking in the glow of a wildly successful marketing campaign, centered around the catchy phrase “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans.” What began as a playful fashion collaboration quickly escalated into a cultural phenomenon, sparking a fierce national debate and capturing the attention of both fashion enthusiasts and political commentators alike. Buoyed by the response, the retailer has announced plans to deepen its partnership with the rising star later this year.
Within days of the campaign’s launch on July 23, American Eagle’s shelves were bare. The collaboration with Sweeney sold out in under a week, with select pieces disappearing in a mere 24 hours. “Sydney is a winner,” declared Chief Marketing Officer Craig Brommers during a recent earnings call, his voice tinged with excitement. “In just six weeks, this campaign has driven an unprecedented wave of new customers to our brand.” The sentiment resonated beyond the marketing world—American Eagle’s stock surged nearly 25% in after-hours trading on Wednesday.
Despite beating Wall Street expectations in Q2 of 2025, the company reported a slight dip in revenue, with net sales totaling $1.28 billion—down 1% from the previous year. Comparable sales mirrored this trend, also falling by 1%. However, there were bright spots: operating profit rose by 2% to $103 million, and diluted earnings per share reached 45 cents, marking a 15% increase year-over-year.
In a bold move that further cemented its place in pop culture, American Eagle announced a new partnership with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce—just one day after the world learned of his engagement to global superstar Taylor Swift. The collaboration, launched under his brand Tru Kolors, promises to blend athletic energy with lifestyle flair, continuing American Eagle’s momentum in the celebrity-driven market.
CEO Jay Schottenstein spoke with conviction in his prepared remarks accompanying the earnings release: “The fall season is off to a strong start. Powered by compelling product lines and the viral success of our campaigns featuring Sydney Sweeney and Travis Kelce, we’ve seen a surge in customer awareness, engagement, and sales. We’re building on this progress, leveraging the strength of our iconic brands to drive greater profitability, sustainable growth, and long-term value for our shareholders.”
The impact of these two campaigns cannot be overstated. Combined, they have already generated an astonishing 40 billion impressions—an undeniable testament to their reach and resonance.
At the heart of the Sweeney campaign was a clever, tongue-in-cheek wordplay. In one ad, she delivers a faux-serious line: “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring,” then turns to the camera and adds with a smile, “My jeans are blue.” In another scene, she stands before a billboard reading “Sydney Sweeney has great genes,” only for the word “genes” to be crossed out and replaced with “jeans” moments later. It was witty, bold, and undeniably catchy—but not everyone saw humor.
Some critics accused the campaign of harboring a hidden message, interpreting the wordplay as a racially charged nod to white beauty ideals. What followed was a firestorm of online debate, with conservatives seizing the moment to fan the flames of cultural division.
Former President Donald Trump took to his Truth Social platform on August 4, writing: “Sydney Sweeney, a registered Republican, has the HOTTEST ad out there. It’s for American Eagle, and the jeans are ‘flying [off] the shelves.’ Go get ’em Sydney.” He added with a flourish, “Being WOKE is for losers, being Republican is what you want to be.”
The controversy only grew. Trump’s former White House communications director, Steven Cheung, labeled the backlash a textbook case of “cancel culture run amok.” Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance took to the “Ruthless” podcast, mocking liberal outrage by quipping, “My political advice to the Democrats is continue to tell everybody who thinks Sydney Sweeney is attractive is a Nazi. That appears to be their actual strategy.” Notably, no major Democratic figures have publicly weighed in on the ads.
What began as a fashion campaign had become a mirror reflecting the nation’s deepest cultural divides—proving that in today’s world, even a pair of jeans can spark a revolution.
